Weather Worries
by Shirley Ann Burton
Summary: When severe weather decides to strike at night, I become extremely nervous, but Ace shows up to try to help me cope with one of my deepest fears. Please read and review.


**Weather Worries**

**By: Shirley Ann Burton**   


  


**The Always-Necessary Disclaimer:**   
** _The Magician_, and all other related material, are copyrighted by Gaumont Multimédia. There are no original characters in use in this story, so there's nothing to worry about here. I started this tale on a day where the sound of tornado warning sirens went off twice, and I try desperately to cope with this terrible fear I have really had since childhood. This account is purely fictional, but the situation has been a reality…and a frightening one for me.**

It was very late on a Friday night, and I was unable to sleep at all. Watching the Weather Channel, I learned there was a tornado watch in effect until 6 a.m. Knowing this was the right time of year, and knowing how deadly night time tornadoes had been in the past around here in the Deep South, I was up and alert as usual, since I was basically the answer to the weather radio.   
I paced around the one part of my room which didn't have anything blocking me. I felt extremely nervous because of this weather-related situation. Here I was, at 26 years of age, and I was still terrified of bad weather. I could never understand why I wasn't able to overcome this dreadful nightmare or deal with it as calmly as most other people.   
"Why is this fear overpowering me?" I asked myself in near tears. "Why is it I can't conquer it?"   
Suddenly, a calm male voice asked, "Conquer what?"   
I jumped and turned to face who was there so late at night. "Ace. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so jumpy."   
The Magician could tell immediately how nervous I was feeling. "You're very frightened about the weather turning bad in the middle of the night, aren't you?"   
"How'd you guess?" I asked as I held myself by my arms.   
"Shirley, have you forgotten? We live in two different worlds, but we are able to share thoughts and feelings because of your strong belief in me. Now, let's sit down and chat about this weather-related fear you have."   
As soon as we sat down on my bed, I immediately clutched my head when I heard a tornado warning had been issued for Dallas County, just two counties west of where I was, in Montgomery County. "Man, I hope I don't have to deal with the sirens going off here."   
Ace put his arms around my shoulders. "I don't understand. Why are you so afraid of the sirens going off?"   
"It's like this, Ace. This all started when I was a child. I was at a private school when I remember being in the hallway one day. I didn't know what was happening, but when I heard a loud noise, I started becoming very frightened. Since then, unless it's the first Wednesday in the month at exactly 3:30 p.m. or the statewide test during Severe Weather Awareness Week in late February, I will go nuts if the sirens go off."   
"I know those sirens mean it's a tornado warning, but I think there's something more to this fear than you're letting on. Tell me, what is the biggest thing you fear if the sirens go off?"   
As tears began to build in my eyes, I faced Ace and answered, "My biggest fear…is losing my family, or my family losing me. If the sirens go off at work, I become frightened at the thought my family's in danger. My mother and dog here at home, my niece and nephew at their school, my brother and sister-in-law at their respective jobs. If something happened, I don't know if I can ever live with myself."   
He closed his eyes and saw the image of myself in the hallway of Maxwell Elementary School. "What happened here? It seems you have a book over your head while the sirens are going off. It also looks like the teacher is kneeling next to you, trying to keep you calm. You're feeling very panicky."   
"I know. That was a day in 1984 that still haunts me to this very day. We had the tornado warnings three times in one day: in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. I was so scared that day, but Dad and the teacher were there to keep me calm. Of course, there were a couple of close calls later."   
Ace then noticed another vision of me, in the hallway of the family home. "Hmm, this looks like it's about 1996. What date?"   
"Must be March 6th, 1996. That was a little too close for comfort. I remember the sirens going off about 5 a.m. Mom, Rocky, and I took refuge in the hallway like we'd normally do when the sirens would go off. However, at about 5:15, I remember hearing a slight whooshing sound coming from the air conditioning unit. Even though we weren't hurt, I felt so convinced something had happened.   
"When we saw the news an hour later, we heard a local TV station's tower had been completely mangled and twisted. A few neighborhoods not that far from us suffered a good amount of damage because of the tornado. I was on my way to school later in the morning when I passed through Vaughn Road and saw that parts of the St. James School had suffered major damage. It was so fortunate that the twister came that early in the morning. If it had happened between 7:30 and 8 a.m., there could have been a lot of kids hurt or even killed."   
Just as I was going to continue, Ace and I both heard seven consecutive beeps on the Weather Channel and quickly saw something scrolling on the bottom of the screen in a red color.   
The message read: "EAS (Emergency Alert System)…TORNADO WARNING IMMEDIATE ACTIVATION…The National Weather Service in Birmingham AL has issued a *TORNADO WARNING* for…Lowndes County in Central Alabama until 4:30 a.m. At 3:48 a.m. National Weather Service Doppler Radar indicated a tornado approximately 14 miles west of Hayneville and was moving east at 50 mph (miles per hour). The following locations will be in the path of this tornado…Hayneville. This is a potentially dangerous situation…please stay away from windows and get into either the basement or most interior room to protect yourself from flying debris."   
As I changed to the other channel showing the map of counties, I realized the storm was in the county just to the west of us. I started feeling more nauseous than normal about this. "Oh, God, please don't let this happen here. I'm already scared enough right now."   
Ace held me in a calming embrace. "Don't worry, Shirley. I'm right here. If you want me to stay with you, I'll be more than happy to do so."   
"I'm so ashamed and embarrassed," I confessed. "I'm too old to be afraid."   
"Shirley, stop. Being afraid is nothing to be ashamed of. I believe there's a saying that goes, 'A man with no fear is an idiot for we all fear something.' Every one of us has a fear, and it's okay to be scared."   
"But…I allow this fear to overtake me. I turn very panicky and freeze in horror. Some people at work even make fun of me because of it."   
"They're just being ignorant. When you have a fear so deep-rooted from your childhood, you can still carry that fear into adulthood. You take every warning seriously and have concern for the safety of your family and others. The problem is like you just said. You're allowing this fear to overpower you, your heart, and your mind. You're unable to think clearly, and your emotional state becomes a bit uncontrollable. I can understand how you feel, though. When I couldn't control my powers as a teenager, I let fear overpower me, too. In due time, though, I came to terms with what I was afraid of."   
"You're lucky, Ace. I'm still frightened of the weather, and I don't think I'll ever be able to come to terms with this fear."   
The Magician tried his best to comfort me when we both heard a loud noise coming from outside the house. It was a monotonous sound as though someone was playing the trumpet for miles and miles around.   
"It's…" I said in whispered fear. "It's the sirens. Now it's our turn." I quickly turned to Ace. "Get into the hallway while I wake Mom and Rocky. Hurry."   
Ace ran into the hallway while I quickly grabbed my sports walkman, the only way I could tell what was happening weatherwise when the weather would turn bad, forcing us into the hallway.   
I quickly got to Mom's room and quickly awakened her as my dog Rocky started barking wildly. "Mom, wake up, quick. Tornado warning right now. We've got to move."   
Mom wasn't as scared as I was about the weather, unless it was happening in the middle of the night. She, too, remembered some of the deadly tornadoes striking in the middle of the night. "Okay, sweetie. You've got the radio, so let's get into the hallway and close the doors."   
Within a minute Mom, Rocky, and I were safely in the hallway.   
Ace sat next to me near the door to my room, but amazingly I was the only one who could see him.   
Before I could say anything, though, Ace sent me an important thought. _Shirley, I suggest we contact each other by thought only. This way, your mother won't think you're crazy._   
_ I understand, Ace. Will you…stay here with us for the duration of this warning?_   
_ I will be here, my friend. You won't have to deal with this weather situation alone._   
As I quickly turned on the nearest radio station, I finally heard all the important information. "The National Weather Service in Birmingham has issued a tornado warning for Montgomery County until 5:30 a.m. According to National Weather Service Doppler Radar, a thunderstorm with strong rotation was spotted less than six miles west of Montgomery, and the city itself will be in its path, as the storm is moving east at 50 miles an hour. Keep in mind this is only a radar-indicated tornado, but remember, some of the deadliest tornadoes in recent memory have been occurring in the overnight hours, so seek shelter in an interior room in the center of your house or the basement if have one. Whatever you do, stay away from windows. We'll keep you up to date on this potentially dangerous situation."   
I gave Mom the necessary information about what was happening while Ace read my mind and heard the details there. So far it's only a tornado spotted on radar, Ace thought to me. _Do you think it's safe yet?_   
_ No, Ace. Remember what he said, some of the deadliest twisters are striking through the overnight hours. We need to stay here until we get the all-clear signal from the radio station._   
_ Okay, I understand. Try not to worry. I'm here, too._   
_ Thank you, my friend. I'm feeling a little calmer already. You being here is helping me some with my fear._   
I continued trying to maintain calm for myself when the music on the radio was suddenly interrupted. "Okay, folks, stay in the interior room. Law enforcement has spotted a tornado on the ground not too far away from the downtown area. They're telling us it's not a life-threatening situation, but stay alert."   
My nerves started getting on edge again as I relayed the information to Mom.   
"Oh, my goodness," she stated anxiously. "This is why I don't like severe weather at night."   
"I know, Mom. I know. Believe me, I feel the same way." I then closed my eyes and thought to Ace again. A_ce, I'm getting scared. I don't know if I can stay calm for long._   
_ I'm here to help you, I promise. However, what you need to do is go deep into your heart and confront your fears, like you let Angie do in that first story you wrote, when you made her confront the fear of her powers. Face your fears head on. This won't be an easy battle, but you can come to terms with your terrible fear._   
I let my whole body relax as I breathed deeply to reach my heart. _ I am scared, frightened. I don't know if I can overcome my worst fear._   
_ Ace then appeared to me within my heart. "I know how hard this is for you. Just feel your heart and battle this demon inside you."_   
_ I looked at the demon, shaped like the F5 tornado which devastated Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in 1999. I felt my whole body turning cold. "I…I can't! I can't do it!"_   
_ "Yes, you can, Shirley. You may not win the war, but you must try to come to terms with it. Tell it how you feel deep inside your heart."_   
_I faced the demon of my worst fear. "I'm scared of you because I don't want anything to happen to me or my family. I don't know if I can ever deal with this fear."_   
_ Somehow, I could hear the demon talking to me. "Little one, you are afraid I will harm you and your family with my powerful winds. When I create enough wind to make those sirens go off, your emotions turn to freeze and fear. However, there is something here more powerful than my winds, which is your own heart."_   
_ "I know the power of the heart is very strong, as I've always demonstrated with my character, Angela Jacobs, yet…my heart is not as strong. Angie is only an extension of myself and my dreams, what I dream to be."_   
_ "Little one, you have let the fear of me become powerful enough to affect your life, and there are those at work who dare to make fun of you because of your fear. What you seek is peace of mind and in your soul. You are never able to sleep because of me threatening you and those you love at night. I know you can achieve it by telling yourself that being afraid is okay, but it is **not** okay when it affects the aspects of life itself. We can come to terms with each other, if you are willing to try."_   
_ "Really? You want to come to terms with me?"_   
_ "Yes, I do. I know your fear has had control over you for years. You need to give yourself some peace of mind. Here's one solution that may help you a lot: Buy yourself a **weather radio**, and when severe weather decides to threaten in the midst of night, you will not have to stand in for the radio anymore. You will be able to sleep a little better, knowing you will have something to keep you ready for the worst of weather conditions."_   
_ "I've been trying to find a good one for so long, but they're so expensive."_   
_ "I know. Look around before deciding on a good one. It is time to give yourself some peace of mind, and a restful soul."_   
_ "Thank you. I know you are an act of Mother Nature's fury, and there is nothing I can do to control it. Hopefully, this will help me at least come to terms with this terrible fear I've had since my childhood."_   
_ The giant tornado gradually became smaller. "I understand, my child. You don't have to assume every tornado will kill or destroy. You know the precautions, but now it is up to you to try to keep a cool head and a calm heart. Also, if you do become scared, you have your immediate family and your friend Ace to help you." Just before it finally disappeared, it calmly said, "Take care, child. Remember, you should not worry yourself about things which are out of your control. Come to terms with it, but a little fear is all right to have. Farewell."_   
_ "So long…friend." I smiled as I closed my eyes and returned to the real world._   
Mom was very surprised at how calm I was being in this weather madness. "Shirley, are you okay? You're being relaxed, even though there is a tornado somewhere in town."   
"I know, Mom. I've had to confront the demon of fear which has plagued me for so long. I've come to an understanding that tornadoes are something I have no control over. I have to try to come to terms with this fear, and I'm hoping to get myself a weather alert radio…say, this weekend?"   
"Not a bad idea, honey," Mom said reassuringly. "Maybe that's just what you need to get yourself a little peace of mind and a chance to sleep better at night."   
Just as things were going well for us, I suddenly heard a whooshing sound coming from the air conditioning vent! "Oh, my God! It must be here!"   
Mom, Rocky, and I held on to each other and started praying there wouldn't be damage or any of us getting hurt.   
Fortunately, the noise lasted but a few seconds, and it seemed to be over very quickly. I then listened to the radio once more.   
The working on-air personality said, "The tornado is moving through the city now and should head towards the area around the Wal-Mart Supercenter. Stay inside until this thing is over."   
We stayed cuddled for a few minutes, just in case of any other nasty surprises.   
Finally, at about 5:15, the radio said the most important words. "The tornado warning for Montgomery County has been cancelled. The storm has moved out of the county, but there is now a newly issued tornado warning for Macon Cou—"   
I turned off the radio and gave the good news to Mom. She and Rocky went to Mom's room and went back to sleep.   
As for Ace and me, we both went back to my room.   
"Well, it looks like you got through it okay," Ace said in relief. "Of course, that was a little too close for comfort."   
"Yeah, that got a little rough for a while, but at least it's over now. Only thing is, can I stick with this, try to come to terms with this terrible phobia?"   
"You heard what he said. Start with a weather radio first and see what happens from there."   
I gave the Magician a warm hug. "Ace, thank you for being there for me through all this. I don't think I could get through this if you weren't around."   
In thought Ace responded, _It's okay. As long as you still have a strong belief in me, I'll always be here for you. Will you be all right now?_   
_ I think so. The worst of it has ended. I can go to sleep now. Thanks again, Ace. Good night, my friend._   
_ Pleasant dreams, Shirley. _Ace then disappeared in a flash of violet light.   
I finally went to sleep, even though morning was coming. I could sleep in this time because it was Saturday. 

A couple of weeks later, after doing some serious searching, I finally found a weather alert radio that wasn't too expensive. I bought the radio from Lowe's and took it home.   
After I put the batteries into it and plugged it up into the wall, I gave it a test run to see if this would work. After twiddling with the controls for a few minutes, I finally found the right frequency and set it up.   
It was then I heard Ace's voice again. "You've finally done it. You'll finally get that peace of mind you've sought for so long."   
"Yes, my friend. At last, I can start to ease my worries a little bit and not lose sleep if there is severe weather at night. Now I'm ready."   
Ace held me in another embrace. "You've taken the first step. I'm happy for you."   
"I'm happy for myself, too. I can finally put my mind at ease, knowing I have this weather radio to help me and you to be there when I'm scared." I felt my soul be at peace at long last because I was beginning to come to terms with my weather-related phobia.   


  


**THE END**   


  


This story is a reflection of my fear of bad weather, which has sadly plagued me since childhood. The account you have read was pure fiction, but it may have been real. I have really purchased a **weather alert radio** so I can at last put my mind to rest. A little fear is okay, but not if it controls almost all aspects of my life. If you have a fear that seems to control you, overcoming it is never easy, but you can come to terms with it if you are willing to try. 


End file.
